He was actually the only one to be awarded any points, making it even more farcical!

Cheers GCM - even worse then. That said we've got used to farces in Le Tour in the past 15 or so years.

In the same way that we're starting to get used to Vandevelde crashing out of Grand Tours. He must be one of the unluckiest riders in the peloton.

Delage looked a mess after going face first into the barrier

I've not seen yesterdays highlights - hope I can view them online somewhere

ITV Player should have them. Try www.itv.com/tour

ITV Player should have them. Try www.itv.com/tour

Probably will be more carnage today on the pavé. It is dry though, so that's a bonus, Cancellara for stage win?

It is carnage. Frank Schleck down and not bothered about getting back into it. He's done.

Great stage today, should have the cobbles in more often. Split the race right open before the mountains and now we will surely see some attacks in the earlier mountain stages by the climbers who lost time today.

Agreed, it was good viewing today, although you never like to see someone suffer an injury like Frank Schleck. Contador and A Schleck will be delighted how they've come out of it, not to mention Wiggins.

I'm relying on the evening ITV4 highlights and it was compelling viewing last night. Great ride from Geraint Thomas as well as Cancellara.

Substantially more straightforward tonight. Only surprise was Cav's lack of dig at the end.

Got it completely wrong didn't he.

The whole HTC plan seemed to go massively wrong once Pettachi's boys went up the other side of the road, Eisel left Renshaw in front too early and thus Cav too.

Good ride from Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky - looks like they've got themselves a proper sprinter in the Robbie McEwen mould, no trains just simple wheel grabbing in the final sprint. Few years and he should be challenging for the green jersey if he can make it through the mountains.

Indeed, when he swung over to the right of the screen it seemed to catch Cav out and he just couldn't react.

Funny to see him return to the team bus, enter the front door before his helmet flew out the middle doors soon after.

Interesting to see on ITV4 the coverage of the Team Sky briefing before the race. No doubt they chose today as it would be fairly uneventful but a good step none the less. The coverage of the HTC team car afterwards was also interesting if not quite so illuminating!

Think HTC have slipped up by targetting the green jersey (and, therefore, the sprints) and the GC. Think their train this year is short by at least two riders.

I'd be tempted to tell Cav to forget the Tour for this year and go away and prepare for the Vuelta.